The sexual abuse crisis.

JUST OVER TWO YEARS AFTER the sexual abuse crisis hit the front pages, a series of reports has come out assessing the scope and causes of the crisis and examining how the hierarchy might prevent similar abuses in the future. A full report appears on p39. Below is a summary of the major events that have taken place over the last few months.

Round-Up

* In December 2003, it was announced that the 542 victims of sexual abuse who agreed to participate in the settlement with the Archdiocese of Boston will receive payments of between $80,000 and $300,000. Tell people chose not to participate. The total cost of the settlement is about $85 million. The archdiocese said it may have to close some parishes to help pay for the settlement.

* In California, some 800 people took advantage of a law setting aside the statute of limitations for sexual abuse crimes to file lawsuits against the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the dioceses of Orange, San Diego and San Bernardino and other dioceses in Northern California.

* On January 6, 2004, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops released a report on the compliance of its dioceses in implementing the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People." The report was prepared by the Gavin Group Inc. of Boston, and found that 20 of 191 audited dioceses, representing almost four and a half million Catholies, have not implemented all the policies agreed to by the bishops. The audit did not include any religious orders, which represent about one-third of priests in the US.

* On January 9, the National Catholic Reporter reported that 74 New York priests signed a letter to Cardinal Edward Egan, accusing him of not supporting priests accused of sexual abuse and requesting a meeting with him.

* In a remarkable move, the official bishops' newsletter, Origins, published a statement by the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, on February 5, explaining why the diocese did not participate in the John Jay survey on sexual abuse (see below). The statement listed in reasons, following a six-point introduction outlining the legalistic reasons it did not want to comply with the survey.

* On February 6, Bishop Thomas L. Dupre of Springfield in Massachusetts resigned following accusations of sexual abuse by two men who claimed he abused them when they were 12 and 15. Dupre cited poor health as the reason for his resignation, but may become the first bishop to face criminal charges as a result of the sex abuse scandal.

* On February 17, Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien of Phoenix, Arizona, who admitted that he covered up allegations of sexual abuse by priests for decades, was convicted in a hit-and-run incident in which he left the scene after "knocking down somebody crossing the road. The pedestrian, Jim Reed, later died and O'Brien's resignation was immediately accepted by the pope. It is thought that O'Brien is the first Roman Catholic bishop in US history to be convicted of a felony.

* The Archdiocese of Los Angeles became the third diocese to release the names of those accused of abuse on February. 18, when it issued a report containing the names of 244 priests, brothers, deacons and seminarians who had abused 656 minors since 1930. The Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Diocese of Tucson have also issued the names of those accused of abuse.

* A draft of a Vatican-sponsored report issued February 23 called for an end to the US bishops' zero-tolerance policy towards clerical abusers, saying it discouraged priests from seeking help and treatment.

* On February 27, the US bishops issued a report on the numbers of priests accused of sexually abusing minors and people in their care. The report, undertaken by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, was widely leaked, and revealed that some 4,392 priests abused at least 10,667 minors during the past 50 years--some four percent of all priests in the time period with at least $572 million paid in legal settlements and treatment costs so far.

* On the same day the National Review Board--the lay group appointed by the bishops' conference to investigate the causes of the crisis and ensure compliance with new regulations issued its report. Citing "shameful" failings, it said that the "failure of the bishops ... has seriously undermined the confidence of the laity in the leadership of the church." The board chairman, Robert S. Bennett, said that there "must he consequences" for those bishops, leaders of religious orders and administrators who either acted criminally or negligently in failing to prevent abuse.